Reuters: For some time, Proview Technology has been battling Apple in China's courts, claiming that Apple does not have the right to use the trademark iPad in that country. Now, the dispute has spread to the U.S. with Proview filing a lawsuit in a California court.

Proview alleges that Apple created a separate business entity called "IP Application Development Ltd," or "IPAD" to purchase the iPad trademark, thus concealing Apple's role in the purchase. In Proview's opinion, Apple acted "with the intent to defraud and induce the plaintiffs to enter into the agreement."

In previous court appearances, Apple has maintained that it legally purchased all rights to the iPad name from a Proview subsidiary.